Jude McAtamney marked his elevation to the New York Giants’ 53-man roster by kicking four points out of five in his side’s 34-17 win over defending Super Bowl champions the Philadelphia Eagles.
The 25-year-old former Derry Under-20 gaelic footballer had been a member of the team’s practice squad as part of the NFL’s International Player Pathway Program, but last month was moved up because of an injury to regular kicker Graham Gano.
He becomes the first kicker from the island of Ireland to join a ‘first team’ roster since Dubliner Neil O’Donoghue, then with the St Louis Cardinals, in 1985.
He produced a perfect kicking performance as the Giants beat the previously unbeaten Los Angles Chargers 21-18 at MetLife Stadium.
McAtamney followed that up by being part of the team which lost to the New Orleans Saints the next week.
As he had twice been elevated from the practice squad this season, he was unable to be elevated for a third time so had to be signed to the full squad in order to play against the Eagles.
Rookies Jaxson Dart and Cam Skattebo scored five touchdowns between them to help the Giants to victory over the Eagles.
McAtamney helped Derry win an Ulster title in 2020, before moving to the United States to play with Rutgers University. He joined the New York Giants as an undrafted free agent in April 2024.
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